UTEP women’s soccer suffers 2-1 loss to UNM

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The UTEP soccer team (2-2-2) fell to New Mexico 2-1 Sunday afternoon in Albuquerque. The Miners took the lead midway through the second half on an Ana Quintero goal, but the Lobos managed to come back and win it in the last minute of regulation.

UTEP posted nine shots in the contest (four on goal), while UNM fired off 21 shots (eight on goal). The Miners held the advantage in corners 5-3. Angelina Amparano made six saves in net for the Miners.

“Positive takeaways from the game are that we scored, and we had good moments in front of goal. Lately our game changers and depth have been great, and today we had some tough defending scenarios that allowed us to improve,” Head Coach Gibbs Keeton said. “The reality is we have to protect our lead. We have to be together at the beginning and end of games, through the highs and lows. For us to achieve more we have to believe we can do it, and we have to be together for the full 90.”

The Lobos came out swinging in the first half, tallying three shots in the opening five minutes of play. The Miners found their footing and upped the pressure from there. Quintero got the team going in the 16th minute, but the shot missed wide. Kaila Hudson Maya Vitoria, and Leslie Gutierrez had tries of their own  in the ensuing 10 minutes, but none found the target.

UTEP’s best chance of the first period came in the 27th minute when Mina Rodriguez put a ball perfectly to the left upper corner, but UNM goaltender Callie Droitsch made a desperate save to keep the score level.

The second half continued at a furious pace, but neither team could find the opener in the first 20 minutes.

Quintero broke the deadlock in the 68th minute when she collected a pass from Eve Barry and rocketed the ball past Droitsch’s outstretched hands. It was Quintero’s second goal in as many games and third of the season, as well as Barry’s first assist of the 2024 campaign.

The Miners kept strong on defense until the 84th minute, when Nicole Anderson found the equalizer for the Lobos. Then, in the dying minutes of the match, Ellie Robinson found the back of the net to give the hosts the victory.

UTEP is back on the road Thursday (9/12) when they head to San Antonio, Texas, to take on UIW at 6 p.m. MT/ 7 p.m. CT

The next chance to catch the Miners at home is Thursday, Sept. 26, when they welcome Middle Tennessee to University Field in their Conference USA home opener.

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